Amateur Legend Peter McEvoy Dies Aged 72

England Golf has announced that two-time Amateur Championship winner, Peter McEvoy has passed away at the age of 72.

The Englishman was born in London, but raised in Scotland, where he took up golf with his father. McEvoy then moved south of the border to the West Midlands at the age of 10 before joining Copt Heath Golf Club three years later.

An impressive amateur career really took off when won the Amateur Championship for the first time in 1977 and he repeated the feat a year later.

A year before the first of those wins, he made his Major debut at The Open, where he missed the cut, although two years later, he was the tournament’s low amateur when he finished T39 at the Old Course, St Andrews.

The following year, he performed even better at the Major, finishing T17 to again claim low amateur honours at the Royal Lytham & St Annes tournament. McEvoy also had some success at The Masters, finishing 58^th in 1978 after becoming the first British amateur to make the cut.

McEvoy was also an integral member of England teams between 1976 and 1992, where he played 153 matches, winning 103 and amassing 111 points. He also played for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup five times between 1977 and 1989, and was the winning captain in the 1999 and 2001 editions.

Other achievements in McEvoy’s career included playing in five Eisenhower Trophies, winning the individual event in 1988 along the way to helping Great Britain and Ireland win the team event. He also captained the team to victory in the 1998 tournament. McEvoy played in seven European Amateur Team Championships too.

In later years, McEvoy became involved in golf course design, while he also was the Chairman of The R&A Selection Committee. He was awarded an OBE for services to golf in 2003, while in 2024 he was inducted into the England Golf Hall of Fame.

England Golf Chief Executive Jeremy Tomlinson paid tribute to McEvoy, saying: “Peter was an incredible amateur golfer in so many regards – as a player, a teammate, a Captain and then supporting inspiration to worldwide golf, and of course especially to England Golf.

“We have lost one of our heroes, which is amazingly sad, and at this time we share our deepest sympathies with all Peter’s family and friends.

“An inaugural inductee to our England Golf Hall of Fame, he will forever be remembered and celebrated as one of our very best.”

Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: “We have lost one of amateur golf’s most respected figures with the passing of Peter McEvoy.

“Peter was an outstanding amateur golfer and enjoyed an illustrious career, including his two victories in The Amateur Championship and success in the Walker Cup. He also worked so hard to develop the game as an administrator and help provide opportunities for aspiring players.

“Peter was dedicated to the amateur game, choosing not to turn professional, and will be widely missed across the golf world. On behalf of The R&A and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews I would like to offer our deepest condolences to Peter’s family at this sad time."